RIBAVIRIN- ribavirin tablet, film coated Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc. ---------- HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION These highlights do not include all the information needed to use RIBAVIRIN TABLETS safely and effectively. See full prescribing information for RIBAVIRIN TABLETS. RIBAVIRIN tablets, for oral use Initial U.S. Approval: 2002 WARNING: RISK OF SERIOUS DISORDERS AND RIBAVIRINASSOCIATED EFFECTS See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. Ribavirin monotherapy, including ribavirin, is not effective for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection (Boxed Warning). The hemolytic anemia associated with ribavirin therapy may result in worsening of cardiac disease and lead to fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarctions. Patients with a history of significant or unstable cardiac disease should not be treated with ribavirin (2.3, 5.2, 6.1). Significant teratogenic and embryocidal effects have been demonstrated in all animal species exposed to ribavirin. Therefore, ribavirin is contraindicated in women who are pregnant and in the male partners of women who are pregnant. Extreme care must be taken to avoid pregnancy during therapy and for 6 months after completion of treatment in both female patients and in female partners of male patients who are taking ribavirin therapy (4, 5.1, 8.1). RECENT MAJOR CHANGES Warnings and Precautions (5.8) 08/2015 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Ribavirin is a nucleoside analogue indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) virus infection in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a in patients 5 years of age and older with compensated liver disease not previously treated with interferon alpha, and in adult CHC patients coinfected with HIV (1) DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION CHC: Ribavirin is administered according to body weight and genotype (2.1) CHC with HIV coinfection: 800 mg by mouth daily for a total of 48 weeks, regardless of genotype (2.2) Dose reduction or discontinuation is recommended in patients experiencing certain adverse reactions or renal impairment (2.3, 2.4) DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS Ribavirin tablets 200 mg or 400 mg or 500 mg or 600 mg (3) CONTRAINDICATIONS Pregnant women and men whose female partners are pregnant (4, 5.1, 8.1) Hemoglobinopathies (4) Coadministration with didanosine (4, 7.1) Ribavirin in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a is contraindicated in patients with: Autoimmune hepatitis (4) Hepatic decompensation in cirrhotic patients (4, 5.3) WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Birth defects and fetal death with ribavirin: Do not use in pregnancy and for 6 months after treatment. Patients must have a negative pregnancy test prior to therapy, use at least 2 forms of contraception and undergo monthly pregnancy tests (4, 5.1, 8.1) Peginterferon alfa-2a/Ribavirin: Patients exhibiting the following conditions should be closely monitored and may require dose reduction or discontinuation of therapy: Hemolytic anemia may occur with a significant initial drop in hemoglobin. This may result in worsening cardiac disease leading to fatal or nonfatal myocardial infarctions (5.2, 6.1) Risk of hepatic failure and death: Monitor hepatic function during treatment and discontinue treatment for hepatic decompensation (5.3) Severe hypersensitivity reactions including urticaria, angioedema, bronchoconstriction, and anaphylaxis, and serious skin reactions such as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (5.4) Pulmonary disorders, including pulmonary function impairment and pneumonitis, including fatal cases of pneumonia (5.5) Severe depression and suicidal ideation, autoimmune and infectious disorders, suppression of bone marrow function, pancreatitis, and diabetes (5) Bone marrow suppression with azathioprine coadministration (5.6) Growth impairment with combination therapy in pediatric patients (5.8) ADVERSE REACTIONS The most common adverse reactions (frequency greater than 40%) in adults receiving combination therapy are fatigue/asthenia, pyrexia, myalgia, and headache. (6.1) The most common adverse reactions in pediatric subjects were similar to those seen in adults. (6.1) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Zydus Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. at 1-877-993-8779 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch DRUG INTERACTIONS Nucleoside analogues: Closely monitor for toxicities. Discontinue nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors or reduce dose or discontinue interferon, ribavirin or both with worsening toxicities (7.1) Azathioprine: Concomitant use of azathioprine with ribavirin has been reported to induce severe pancytopenia and may increase the risk of azathioprine-related myelotoxicity (7.3) USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS Ribavirin Pregnancy Registry (8.1) Pediatrics: Safety and efficacy in pediatric patients less than 5 years old have not been established (8.4) Renal Impairment: Dose should be reduced in patients with creatinine clearance less than or equal to 50 mL/min (8.7) Organ Transplant: Safety and efficacy have not been studied (8.10) See 17 for PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION and Medication Guide. Revised: 10/2015 FULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION: CONTENTS* WARNING: RISK OF SERIOUS DISORDERS AND RIBAVIRIN-ASSOCIATED EFFECTS 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE 2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION 2.1 Chronic Hepatitis C Monoinfection 2.2 Chronic Hepatitis C with HIV Coinfection 2.3 Dose Modifications 2.4 Renal Impairment 2.5 Discontinuation of Dosing 3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS 4 CONTRAINDICATIONS 5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS 5.1 Pregnancy 5.2 Anemia 5.3 Hepatic Failure 5.4 Hypersensitivity 5.5 Pulmonary Disorders 5.6 Bone Marrow Suppression 5.7 Pancreatitis 5.8 Impact on Growth in Pediatric Patients 5.9 Laboratory Tests 6 ADVERSE REACTIONS 6.1 Clinical Studies Experience 6.2 Postmarketing Experience 7 DRUG INTERACTIONS 7.1 Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs) 7.2 Drugs Metabolized by Cytochrome P450 7.3 Azathioprine 8 USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS 8.1 Pregnancy 8.3 Nursing Mothers 8.4 Pediatric Use 8.5 Geriatric Use 8.6 Race 8.7 Renal Impairment 8.8 Hepatic Impairment 8.9 Gender 8.10 Organ Transplant Recipients 10 OVERDOSAGE 11 DESCRIPTION 12 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY 12.1 Mechanism of Action 12.3 Pharmacokinetics 12.4 Microbiology 13 NONCLINICAL TOXICOLOGY 13.1 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility 13.2 ANIMAL PHARMACOLOGY AND OR TOXICOLOGY 14 CLINICAL STUDIES 14.1 Chronic Hepatitis C Patients 14.2 Other Treatment Response Predictors 14.3 Chronic Hepatitis C/HIV Coinfected Patients 16 HOW SUPPLIED/STORAGE AND HANDLING 17 PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION * Sections or subsections omitted from the full prescribing information are not listed. FULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION WARNING: RISK OF SERIOUS DISORDERS AND RIBAVIRIN-ASSOCIATED EFFECTS Ribavirin monotherapy is not effective for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection and should not be used alone for this indication. The primary clinical toxicity of ribavirin is hemolytic anemia. The anemia associated with ribavirin therapy may result in worsening of cardiac disease and lead to fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarctions. Patients with a history of significant or unstable cardiac disease should not be treated with ribavirin [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS (5.2), ADVERSE REACTIONS (6.1), and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION (2.3)]. Significant teratogenic and/or embryocidal effects have been demonstrated in all animal species exposed to ribavirin. In addition, ribavirin has a multiple dose half-life of 12 days, and it may persist in non-plasma compartments for as long as 6 months. Therefore, ribavirin, including ribavirin, is contraindicated in women who are pregnant and in the male partners of women who are pregnant. Extreme care must be taken to avoid pregnancy during therapy and for 6 months after completion of therapy in both female patients and in female partners of male patients who are taking ribavirin therapy. At least two reliable forms of effective contraception must be utilized during treatment and during the 6month post treatment follow-up period [see CONTRAINDICATIONS (4), WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS (5.1), and USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS (8.1)]. 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Ribavirin tablets in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a are indicated for the treatment of patients 5 years of age and older with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) virus infection who have compensated liver disease and have not been previously treated with interferon alpha. The following points should be considered when initiating ribavirin tablets combination therapy with peginterferon alfa-2a: This indication is based on clinical trials of combination therapy in patients with CHC and compensated liver disease, some of whom had histological evidence of cirrhosis (Child-Pugh class A), and in adult patients with clinically stable HIV disease and CD4 count greater than 100 cells/mm3. This indication is based on achieving undetectable HCV RNA after treatment for 24 or 48 weeks, based on HCV genotype, and maintaining a Sustained Virologic Response (SVR) 24 weeks after the last dose. Safety and efficacy data are not available for treatment longer than 48 weeks. The safety and efficacy of ribavirin tablets and peginterferon alfa-2a therapy have not been established in liver or other organ transplant recipients, patients with decompensated liver disease, or previous non-responders to interferon therapy. The safety and efficacy of ribavirin tablets therapy for the treatment of adenovirus, RSV, parainfluenza or influenza infections have not been established. Ribavirin tablets should not be used for these indications. Ribavirin for inhalation has